Play table and bench assembly



Jan. 31, c YOUNG PLAY TABLE AND BENCH ASSEMBLY Filed March 30, 1965 INVENTOR ARTHUR C. YOU/V6 ATTORNEY United States Patent 1 3,301,590 PLAY, TABLE AND BENCH ASSEMBLY Arthur Carl Young, Berea, Ohio 44017 Filed Mar. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 444,081

' 4 Claims; (Cl. 297-157) The present invention relates as indicated to a play table and bench assembly and, more particularly, to'such an assembly which can be neatly and compactly assembled when not in use.

In present furniture assemblies of this general type, which comprise a table and one or more benches associated therewith, it has been difiicult to assemble these units, when not in use, to reduce to the extent possible the size of the entire unit or assembly without simultaneously detracting either from the neatness of the assembly or the seating area on the bench or benches.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a play table and associated benches in which the latter areconstructed and arranged to be snugly received within the table When not in use thereby to provide a neat and compact assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a play table constructed and arranged to receive a storage tray for toys and the like which can be conveniently stored within the table so as not to interfere with the normal use of the table or be exposed when the play table and benches have been snugly assembled. I

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing the play table and a single bench is disassembled relation. The bench normally disposed on the opposite side of the play table has been omitted from this figure;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the play table and bench assembly, with the benches being shown in assembled or non-use position, and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the assembly of the invention, looking in the direction indicated by line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring now in more detail to the drawing, wherein like parts have been indicated by like reference numerals, the play table is generally indicated at and includes end members or legs 11 and 12 and top frame members 13, only one of which is visible in the application drawing, which serve to space and interconnect the leg members 11 and 12 and to form therewith a supporting frame. A longitudinally extending brace member 14 extends between and is rigidly mounted to the leg members 11 and 12 generally intermediate the height thereof further to rigidify the supporting frame in such region.

The supporting frame just described is open at the top and a top member 15 is provided which forms a closure for the frame, with the top 15 additionally providing a smooth surface for writing or the like.

A storage chest 16 having a curved bottom surface 17 is disposed within the supporting frame between the legs 11 and 12 and supported by the longitudinal brace member 14. The tray 16 is vertically dimensioned to terminate vertically slightly below the top of the leg mem- "ice bers 11 and 12, with the top 15 in the FIG. 1 position thereof completely enclosing the storage tray 16.

The leg members 11 and 12 are each formed with generally semicircular openings at either side thereof, commonly designated at,18. The curved openings 18 are complemental to the forward curved surfaces 19 of the end members 20 of a bench generally indicated at 21. The bench further includes a back section 22, a seat section 23, both of which extend between and are rigidly mounted to the end sections 20, and supporting leg sections 24. The latter are mounted to and disposed inwardly of the end sections 20 beneath the seat section 22 thereby providing further support for the latter. The supporting legs 24 are in the form shown trapezoidal in shape with the legs'thereby providing a substantial supporting surface for the benches.

The thickness of the end members 11 and 12 of the table and the end sections 20 of the benches 21 is preferably the same whereby the supporting legs 24 of the benches are adapted to fit just inside the leg members 11 and 12 of the table when the benches 21 are moved theretoward. Because of the mating of the curved openings 18 of the legs 11 and 12 of the table and the forward curved edges 19 of the ends 20 of the benches, the latter, when moved toward the table, assume their FIG. 2 position, in which the back sections 22 of the benches are generally coplanar with the longitudinal braces 13. With both benches in place, as shown in this figure, each face of the table and bench assembly is relatively smooth and uninterrupted thereby to provide a highly attractive unit. In addition, the nesting of the benches as illustrated when not in use conserves space which would otherwise be required where the benches do not precisely interfit the table as taught by the present invention.

Each of the benches 21 is formed with a finger opening 25 to facilitate handling of the benches 21 toward and away from the play table 10.

It will thus be seen that the present invention comprises a novel table and bench assembly the components of which are specifically designed to interfit to provide a neat and compact assembly when the benches are moved inwardly to engage the corresponding sections of the play table. The assembly is thus neat and attractive when not in use, with the benches being easily moved away from the table to a use position. The assembly further includes a storage tray conveniently carried by the supporting frame of the table below the top thereof and conveniently accessible when the top is moved.

I claim:

1. The combination of a table having a top and a sup porting frame and a pair of benches cooperable therewith to form a nested table assembly, said supporting frame including end members and means spacing and interconnecting said end members to form a rigid supporting frame, said interconnecting means including a cross member disposed generally vertically intermediate the top and bottom of said end members, said top forming a closure to the interior of said supporting frame, each of said end members of said supporting framebeing formed with generally semicircular shaped opposed edges, each of said benches including a supporting seat section and a back section and generally semicircular end sections connected thereto, said bench being supported and stabilized by floor-engaging legs mounted below said seat sections and inwardly of the respective end sections, said end sections of said benches being snugly received by said semicircular shaped edges of said end pieces of said supporting frame when said benches are moved toward said frame, with the benches in such snugly received position being en tirely disposed within the plane of said top to provide a compact nested assembly.

gaging legs of each of said benches are laterally spaced to be within and closely adjacent said end sections of said supporting frame thereby to guide said benches into such interfitting position. I a

3. The combination of claim 1 further including a chest adapted to be supported by said cross member of said supporting frame and terminating vertically below said top. 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said end sec tions of said benches when snugly received Within said end members of said supporting frame are co-planar therewith to form continuous, flat exterior surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 144,591 D. 165,554 D. 167,404

Schutes D158 (8.8) Schukat 29714O X Huth 297-140 X Raible '108--25 X Shparago 297143 Rapp 297143 Baxter 108-25 X Dierickx 297-140 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES T. MCCALLQExaminer. 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A TABLE HAVING A TOP AND A SUPPORTING FRAME AND A PAIR OF BENCHES COOPERABLE THEREWITH TO FORM A NESTED TABLE ASSEMBLY, SAID SUPPORTING FRAME INCLUDING END MEMBERS AND MEANS SPACING AND INTERCONNECTING SAID END MEMBERS TO FORM A RIGID SUPPORTING FRAME, SAID INTERCONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING A CROSS MEMBER DISPOSED GENERALLY VERTICALLY INTERMEDIATE THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SAID END MEMBERS, SAID TOP FORMING A CLOSURE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID SUPPORTING FRAME, EACH OF SAID END MEMBERS OF SAID SUPPORTING FRAME BEING FORMED WITH GENERALLY SEMICIRCULAR SHAPED OPPOSED EDGES, EACH OF SAID BENCHES INCLUDING A SUPPORTING SEAT SECTION AND A BACK SECTION AND GENERALLY SEMICIRCULAR END SECTIONS CONNECTED THERETO, SAID BENCH BEING SUPPORTED AND STABILIZED BY FLOOR-ENGAGING LEGS MOUNTED BELOW SAID SEAT SECTIONS AND INWARDLY OF THE RESPECTIVE END SECTIONS, SAID END SECTIONS OF SAID BENCHES BEING SNUGLY RECEIVED BY SAID SEMICIRCULAR SHAPED EDGES OF SAID END PIECES OF SAID SUPPORTING FRAME WHEN SAID BENCHES ARE MOVED TOWARD SAID FRAME, WITH THE BENCHES IN SUCH SNUGLY RECEIVED POSITION BEING ENTIRELY DISPOSED WITHIN THE PLANE OF SAID TOP TO PROVIDE A COMPACT NESTED ASSEMBLY. 